PiBoIdMo Day 1: Amy Dixon Goes the Distance

I have always been competitive. Maybe it’s because I have 4 sisters and 2 brothers, which meant we did things like thumb-wrestle to see who would get the last bowl of Sunday Cereal…or battle it out in Easter Day relay races that required rolling eggs across the carpet with our noses. Or maybe it’s because my parents fell in love on the basketball court, where everyone said that if Patty really liked Harold, she would let him win. Well, she really did like him. Forty-years-together-and-counting-kind-of-liked-him. But she didn’t let him win. So I guess you could say it’s in my blood.

Is it any wonder then that I jumped at the chance to be a part of PiBoIdMo when I first heard about it in 2010? A challenge, you say? 30 ideas in 30 days, you say? Sounds hard. I’m in!

Know what else sounds hard? Marathons. Lucky for me, November is a month chock-full of ‘em, and I’ve got a husband who likes to run ‘em. (I’ve run a half-marathon, and that was hard enough for me, thank you very much!) So when November 5, 2010 rolled around, this is the idea I wrote down:

Marathon Mouse. Story of a mouse who lives in NYC right under the start line and decides that it is his life’s dream to participate in the NYC marathon.

What I quickly figured out about PiBoIdMo was that it wasn’t necessarily coming up with the ideas that was the hard part. But the sifting and sorting of ideas to figure out which were studs and which were duds??? That was the tough part. Once the challenge was over, I tried writing a couple of other stories first…ones that I deemed more commercial, more worthy of an agent’s or editor’s attention. But I soon realized that the story I really wanted to write was the one about the marathon. In the 2 years since my husband had taken up distance running, I had been in search of a picture book about the sport that I could share with my children. I was looking for something that reflected the early mornings, the intense training, and the roadside cheering that was now a part of our family culture. And I couldn’t find one, because one didn’t exist.

So I wrote it.

And I liked it.

It travelled with me to my critique group, as well as to our regional SCBWI conference. And it was there that I first heard the objection that followed this manuscript around for quite some time: “…but kids don’t run marathons!” Okay, fair point. Kids don’t run marathons.

BUT.

Anyone who has ever been to a marathon knows that you will find yourself absolutely, without exception, knee-deep in kids…walking the course, holding cherished homemade signs, and searching the crowds of runners, hoping to catch a glimpse of their mom or dad, aunt or grandpa, teacher or friend. Kids may not run marathons, but they are an ever-present part of the running community. And that was the reason that I persevered through 26.2 miles of discouragement, and believed in my story.

Mercifully, there was an editor out there from Sky Pony Press who believed in my story too. And now I have had the wonderful privilege of experiencing my children’s delight as they turn the pages of Marathon Mouse…because, although they have never actually run a marathon, it is in those pages that they see their experiences reflected. And they love it.

Write the stories that you want to write. As the ideas fly off your fingertips and onto that spreadsheet this November, make note of the ones that spark something in your heart. They may not always be the obvious choices. They may not always scream commercial appeal. But one of them just might be the story you were meant to write.

And now if you’ll excuse me, it’s day one of PiBoIdMo, and I’ve got an idea for a story about a girl named Patty…and a boy named Harold…and the jump shot that launched an unending love…

Amy Dixon grew up as one of seven siblings, so the only peace and quiet she ever got was inside a book. Once she had her own kids, she rediscovered her love for picture books at the public library. It was the one place she knew all four of her kids would be happy . . . and quiet. She writes from her home, where she lives with her four little inspirations and her marathon-running husband, Rob. Check her out at amydixonbooks.com.

Loved this post, like Mary, of gut instinct. It’s true that the unobvious idea, is the one more likely to sprout.
Amy, we have whats called “Round the Bays Run,” a fun run for all the family once a year in March. Kids love it!

My first thought when signing up for PiBoIdMo for the fourth year in a row was “I don’t have the time this year. There’s no way I’ll complete the challenge.” BUT just a half hour into PiBoIdMo and I already have 9 new ideas, thanks to your suggesting that we write the stories we want to write even if they don’t scream commercial appeal. Because I’m always trying to write something I think will be commercial and this morning I got up and just wrote down ideas that appeal to me, and it made idea generating so much easier–and more fun! Excellent advice!

So excited for you Amy (and to get my copy 🙂 It’s a wild ride being in our critique group… and coasting on the waves of idea-making, writing, critiquing, SELLING! What a blessing to journey with you and Preston… and now read your post on PiBoIdMo! You are truly gifted and an inspiration to so many. Now get over to NYC for Rob’s (and Preston’s) run!!!

Amy, that’s a lovely post. Kids are running in cross countries at earlier ages than when I was at school so it’s even more relevant. I always aspired to run a marathon. I did if you add up the cross countries 😉 Your book sounds adorable.

Great stuff.So glad you decided go with this and see it through. There is definitely a market for this. Too bad some discouraged you. I imagine this one speaks to setting goals and seeing them through. Who doesn’t need that?

What a wonderfully positive way to kick everything off, Amy. This is my first ever PiBoIdMo and so far, I’m loving it! Whilst thinking about your post and the challenge as a whole guess what? An idea popped into my head for a story book. Hazzah! I have written it down in my notebook and I’m excited to see where it takes me. I am all the way over in Scotland so not only is this giving me ideas for my own stories, but it’s giving me loads of new books to try to find to read to my children – I’m winning all over the place, here! Thanks so much for this and looking forward to a fantastic November x

I’ve had my mind shut down the last few days- trying to keep any ideas out until PiBoldMo officially started. Now I can relax, and thanks to your post, consider story possibilities that are dear to my heart. Forget about the current trends! I will focus on what I am familiar with and dear to my heart. Hopefully something will sprout and continue to grow.

Love this post, Amy. I would say more, but you’ve given me an idea–or really, I should say, given me permission to put down an idea I love but that I know isn’t commercial enough. But I’m going to go write it down anyway. Thank you:>)

Thanks Amy for giving me hope that the stories I write, whether PB or MG, will have legs to run on : ) I have never been one to write stories based on current market trends, instead I have always written for myself focusing on what I know and love.

Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. Sometimes the story might have to go thru many revisions to get it just right, But if it is a story you love, work at it and get it just right and add just the right zing and add some enthusiasm and I bet it will have a great chance.

You’re story is AMAZING! I hope I can pick up a copy of Marathon Mouse. I’m thrilled you perserved through! I used to play lacrosse but due to injury I’ve shifted towards endurance sports (I’m currently training for a Spartan Sprint). By boyfriend is also an endurance sport athlete(cyclist and former tri-athlete) and I know that even as kids we would’ve loved a book like yours ma’am! I’m also stoked that you not only waded through the neg. feedback about the idea but that you also used alliteration! Everyone I’ve spoken to or read, calls alliteration “trite” and I’m ecstatic you’ve proved them wrong. 😀

I love this post! You’re right. The idea has to speak to you. I ran a marathon too and I know what you mean about races being family affairs. One of my favorite memories is of a little boy handing out pretzels to the runners. He was so excited when I took one.

In the half-marathon I ran last month, there was a section in a residential neighborhood, and there was a toddler running around naked on his front lawn. Definitely a moment lots of runners were reminiscing about after the run. Great job running a full marathon, Diana! You’re amazing!

Thank you so much for your wonderful post, Amy. As a sister to a marathoner/mountain runner, I know what you mean about the amount of kids at races. My twin nieces grew up going to races. This book would have been perfect for them. Well done, and thanks for a such an inspiring first post!

Amy your story perfectly matches the lesson I learned at SCBWI LA this year: Tell YOUR story. If it rings true to you, it will ring true to others.Way to persevere (Just like Marathon Mouse, right?!) to success. 🙂

Look at you, friend! Gosh… How so totally proud I am to *personally* know you. This post has truly kicked PiBoIdMo off right! I can’t wait to watch you shine, and am bursting with joy and excitement as these “newbies” to this month become encouraged by YOU!

Love ya, girlie! Can’t wait to hear the tales you bring home from NYC!!!

Thanks for sharing your story Amy! I can’t wait to read your book.
This will be my second year for PiBoldMo. I am so excited to be a part of it. It has has had an incredibly positive effect on my writing. Thanks Tara.

“So I wrote it. And I liked it.” Congratulations, Amy, on bringing Marathon Mouse across the finish line! I look forward to reading it soon.
Your perseverance despite the repeated chorus of well-meaning “BUTs” is beyond inspirational. Thanks for the awesome reminder that writers have to write their stories first and foremost for themselves. If you’re not passionate about your work, no one else will be. Continued happy writing… and running. 🙂

This is so encouraging, Amy, and so true! We have to silence that “inner editor” who tries to blot out our ideas before they even get started. Congratulations again on the publication of Marathon Mouse.

Amy…your story is inspiring…I guess that is a BIG part of PiBoIdMo. 🙂 We write and then wonder and sometimes begin to question ourselves…is this a good idea? Will anyone else want to read about it? I love that you encourage us to follow our passion…and keep on keeping on even if we encounter rejection…which we probably will. 🙂
My son has run marathons (Boston, Chicago) and I know it does take so much dedication…kind of like picture book writing. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your journey…and Happy PiBoIdMo! I’m taking an hour each morning to read the PiBoIdMo post and take notes on it…just a few tidbits or highlights…on page one it now says, “Write the stories you want to write”…thank you for that, Amy! Under that will be my pb idea for the day!

He also did a shorter run in San Fran…not the marathon. He and his wife have lived in quite a few of our biggest cities…and he’s run in most of them…kind of like those people who climb all the 14er’s in Colorado. 🙂
I’m writing one critical thought from each of the PiBoIdMo posts on the top of that day’s idea page…Page One says, “Amy Dixon…write the stories you want to write”…I do thank you for that!

Amy~Thanks so much for your post. It was inspiring and encouraging as we begin this month of ideas! I love that you loved your story so much that you believed in it and persevered. I love that it makes me believe in my stories more than ever. I love that it adds excitement as I let my mind drift toward ideas that tell the stories I want to tell! Love! Love! Love!
I’m feeling it today 🙂
Thanks again!

So glad I could encourage you, Desiree. Marketability is a real issue that we need to consider as writers, but it shouldn’t always be the deciding factor. If it’s in there, sometimes we need to push it out onto the page. 🙂

Thanks Amy, for you wonderful example and for inspiring the rest of us to keep on being true to ourselves and our instincts, intuition… our gut! There’s an audience out there for all of us, I think! Congrats on “Marathon Mouse” too, by the way!

I am so happy to finally hear about a great book to give my marathon running friend. She has a little one that cheers her on the side lines. This book really does fill a market. And after labor, what’s a marathon anyway?? : )

Amy what a great, and important, post to kick off PiBoIdMo. I have several friends who have written PhDs and they say similar things about belief carrying you through discouragement. AND…get this…about a week ago I came across Marathon Mouse in our local library, in Adelaide, Australia!

Er ma ger…I just adore you Amy! What a well written and touching post. I loved that you followed your gut and used your expertise as a race frequenter to pursue this idea. So great to learn more about you and your family. Love the competetive history of you parents and of course that your dad’s name is Harold. Just love that. Feel free to let him know. =) Can’t wait to read about Preston’s adventure! Congrats! xoxo

That is so amazing! I’d already heard of your book and put you on my list of debut folks to interview. Your book has perfect timing, too! The NYC Marathon is THIS weekend! I may have to buy 3 or 4 copies of your book to give to my runner friends and to keep one for myself, too. My husband and I both run. He has done two full marathons and I have done two. My second half marathon is this weekend (and I’m a little backwards because I did the two fulls first). I’ve got a friend running the NYC this weekend. Your book will make a perfect Christmas gift for his family. I think your book has the potential to be HUGE, with the right marketing. Do you live in NY? I’d set up a booth at the expo of ALL marathons (okay, a few…) and sell your book. Anyway, congratulations. Thanks for cheering the rest of us on.

Wow, thanks for the marketing tips, Christie! I live in California but am actually in NYC right now for the marathon. My husband is running it and we are doing a book event tomorrow on the Upper East Side. I WISH I could have gotten into the Expo here but they have too many sponsors and folks that get priority (and it is quite expensive!)

congrats on all your running successes and hope the half goes well this weekend!

Amy, I am so glad you stuck to your guns and got this book published! People will always find reasons why your story won’t work for the market, but sometimes you just know in your gut they are wrong.

We have a “running club” at my kids’ elementary school that’s led by a former Olympic marathon runner. He appeared last year on a local news station talking about the importance of getting kids running from an early age. He said that as we get older and “grow out” of team sports, it can be difficult to find a way back to challenging cardio exercise. Running is something that can be done anywhere, anytime, and has about the lowest cost associated with any sport.

So I personally think you are doing the children of the world a great service by getting them excited about running and about the important role they play in the running community as cheerleaders on the sidelines.

AND (then I promise I’ll get off my soapbox), while kids may not run marathons, they are increasingly running 5Ks and other shorter-distance races. The experience is similar to that of a marathon, although I would say that “5K Mouse” does not have quite the same ring to it. 🙂

All of this is so great, and so true, Julie. I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and encourage me! One of the things I love about running is that it is so accessible to EVERYONE. And I love the idea of a running club at the elementary school! Hmmm…may have to start one of those up!

Okay…just had an idea inspired by you and Julie…Call me crazy, (please don’t), but forget the expo at the NYC marathon. I think you should send this sweet little rodent all the way to the top…THE WHITE HOUSE! Michelle Obama is all about fitness and healthy living. How you would do this, I have no idea, BUT sometimes, people know people. (Heck, Lori Degman has their old car! Been meaning to ask her about that. =) ) Next thing you know, you will appear on the Oprah Network alongside M.O. talking about physical fitness. Eh? Amy Dixon, ambassador of children’s literature and marathon mice.

My kids love to cheer my sister on when she runs marathons. It’s one of the most inspiring sports, and I think in part why my kids, husband and I all ran a 5K together. It’s no marathon, but it’s a start.

Also, nice to see someone else from a big family–I think it fosters competition as well as comradery.

This post inspires me on a few levels. First, I feel blessed to have Amy as part of my critique group. We have watched little Preston from starting line to finish. How exciting to hold the book in our little hands! I also love Amy’s message about following the stories you really believe in. She is always that voice in my life that encourages me to pursue the manuscripts that I have little faith in. I appreciate you, Amy. So proud of you, friend!

I will be looking for this book! My wife is running a marathon in March. She turns 60 at the end of this month, PiBoIdMo month, so what a great time to celebrate by giving her this book.
AND a great way to celebrate my 30 ideas!

very inspirational post, Amy.sometimes trying to write only highly marketable concepts dry up my well. I love the NY Marathon. One of the best images to me – which I still remember after attending the Marathon 20 years ago – is the runners after the event walking away wrapped in glittery silver wraps. It was sort of surreal.

After six days without power (it’s on now!! yay!!) I am hoping some lovely ideas will pop out of my emotions which are so very close to the surface right now. I can tell how important your passion for the story idea was to get it out into the world.

Lacing my up proverbial running shoes as we speak! I’m a late starter to PiBoIdMo (just signed up today) and this post pumped me up so much I almost pulled something. 😉 Thanks for sharing your story, Mary.

I have 5 older brothers, I was constantly competing with them! My mom put a nix to our summer tanning contest….I didn’t feel it was fair I had to wear a shirt! Loved your post. Thanks for the advise, passion is everything! Hey, there’s today’s story idea…a little sister who feels she has to win at everything. Too cliche? I’ll let it marinate!

Thanks for reminding me to write the stories that I want to write or that call me to write. I think when a writer follows that desire, it shows in the story and the children feel it too. I’m excited about this PiBoIdMo challenge and I’m already finding it awesome. Thanks for your encouraging words.